CALLING ALL HORSE PEOPLE!!!! HELP NEEDED

[lucy7]

Ok I am looking for some advice/help. I have 3 horses that my grandparents have had for years ( my oldest is 34!!!!!). They adopted my mare (the oldest) when she was 1 1/2. Later they bred her twice hoping to get a filly, they ended up with 2 colts and long story short we still have them today! my geldings are 18 and 21 they have both been ridden a very little at some point in there lives but have not ended well and last time they were was like 10+ years ago. So now we have 2 very unusable horses that are EXTREMELY buddy sore toward their mom! for example last time we tried to get my mare out one of them jumped through an 18 inch opening in his stall (thank God he didn't get stuck!) It has become hard on my Grandpa's back to bail hay and stack it all, I've been helping him the last few years (I'm 15) I'm now concerned not only for my safety being around them and being frustrated not being able to get my mare out but I'm also concerned for my Grandparents safety! I have talked to a few people about this. I would really like to find someone via Facebook exchanges to take them as pasture pets or something (for free) my MAIN concern is getting them in a trailer I'm scared that even if we could they would like tip it over or something. I've had a few people tell me it's not my problem, the people taking them can figure it out but I don't anyone getting hurt! I've also had a few people tell me to drug them but I'm pretty sure thats probably illegal, and last people have told me to put them down! That's really hard for me because I don't feel like they are doing anything wrong despite the fact they are dangerous when you try to do ANYTHING with them. They both are really sweet horse but just WAYYYY to buddy sore for their own good! I don't know I'm just looking for some advice/opinions on this. Ideally we would keep my mare and find a home for the other two. And NO there is NO WAY we would send them to a kill pen just in case someone was thinking it lol. I soooooooo appreciate it if you took the time to read this!!!!!!! Thank you for any advice you can give me! THANK YOU!!!!

 

[lpatelski]

Ok I am looking for some advice/help. I have 3 horses that my grandparents have had for years ( my oldest is 34!!!!!). They adopted my mare (the oldest) when she was 1 1/2. Later they bred her twice hoping to get a filly, they ended up with 2 colts and long story short we still have them today! my geldings are 18 and 21 they have both been ridden a very little at some point in there lives but have not ended well and last time they were was like 10+ years ago. So now we have 2 very unusable horses that are EXTREMELY buddy sore toward their mom! for example last time we tried to get my mare out one of them jumped through an 18 inch opening in his stall (thank God he didn't get stuck!) It has become hard on my Grandpa's back to bail hay and stack it all, I've been helping him the last few years (I'm 15) I'm now concerned not only for my safety being around them and being frustrated not being able to get my mare out but I'm also concerned for my Grandparents safety! I have talked to a few people about this. I would really like to find someone via Facebook exchanges to take them as pasture pets or something (for free) my MAIN concern is getting them in a trailer I'm scared that even if we could they would like tip it over or something. I've had a few people tell me it's not my problem, the people taking them can figure it out but I don't anyone getting hurt! I've also had a few people tell me to drug them but I'm pretty sure thats probably illegal, and last people have told me to put them down! That's really hard for me because I don't feel like they are doing anything wrong despite the fact they are dangerous when you try to do ANYTHING with them. They both are really sweet horse but just WAYYYY to buddy sore for their own good! I don't know I'm just looking for some advice/opinions on this. Ideally we would keep my mare and find a home for the other two. And NO there is NO WAY we would send them to a kill pen just in case someone was thinking it lol. I soooooooo appreciate it if you took the time to read this!!!!!!! Thank you for any advice you can give me! THANK YOU!!!!

There are many horse rescue organizations. Do NOT let your horses go to just anyone. People seem nice and pick up horses for free only to sell them to the killers. If that is a concern for you...DO NOT give them away.
http://www.mnhoovedanimalrescue.org/
Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation
A Non-Profit Organization PO Box 47 Zimmerman, MN 55398
(763) 856-3119

OUR MISSION
1) To rescue horses and other hooved animals in distress, treating each animal with compassion and respect while acting in the animal's best interest; and
2) To educate the public on the welfare of hooved animals.
Become a Member or a Sponsor now!
Fastest way to reach us: [email protected]​

 

[lucy7]

I would absolutely not let them go to just anyone. I would definitely sell them local and make sure they were actually good people. I don't want it to seem like oh I've have these horses that are old and useless and i don't want them (i mean thats the reason kill pens exist which is super sad) they are a part of my family and i love them. It has just gotten to the point where it would be ideal to find someone to take them as pasture pets. Thank you for replying haha

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would agree with contacting a rescue, the one around here will either take them, or they will find proper homes for them through them. That's your best option for them not to end up abused or in the meat market, once you hand them over to someone you have no legal rights to what happens to them. But at that age, it will be hard on the horses themselves. Have you asked your Grandparents if they still want these horses, they might not want to let them go, best to have a discussion with them first.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Most horses that are not used to being in a trailer do quite qell in open stock trailers. This is how we transported a horse back to the original owner after not being able to train her to a regular trailer for all the years we had her.

You could also call up your vet and ask if they would be able to give them something that day to make the transport easier. There are some good horse sedatives out there and your vet will know which one to give to knock the edge off the experience but not enough to totally conk them out. With the right type and amount of seditive, most horses will walk quite nicely wherever you lead them.

I think the trick is to find an area of a small pen that you can just back the trailer up to so you can funnel the horses into the trailer. Again, this is what we did with that horse that wouldnt get on trailers. She was round pen trained to my dad configured the round pen to butt right up to the trailer and then we encouraged her in the same way we got her to move while round penning. This is not something I suggest inexperienced people do. Its always best to have help and someone who knows what they are doing.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Just another thought I had. You could always consider hiring a trainer to come work with you/your grandparents/whoever and the two geldings to help them have some manners so you are not dealing with craziness everytime you need to do something at the barn. There are lots of trainers who will come right to your place and they are not usually outrageously priced (depending on your area).

 

[Bunnylady]

Something nobody has mentioned, but which I think needs to be considered, is that 34 is extremely old for a horse. Most horses don't get nearly that old; though the mare may seem to be in good shape now, she pretty much could "go" at any time. Even if these geldings weren't her offspring, she has had their company for a couple of decades, and it would be very traumatic for her to lose them. It is very likely that, if you got rid of the boys, within a relatively short period of time you'd lose the mare as well; the stress of being alone is very hard on a herd animal. These geldings are pretty old, but if they have been lightly used, they are probably physically pretty sound; they can still learn to behave better. I think Chickerdoodle's suggestion of a trainer may be the better way to go.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Bunnylady brings up a really good point that I didn't consider. If she is the only horse at the barn after the two boys are gone, it would be quite traumatic. Another option is choosing one to rehome and working with one instead of two. Sometimes training two horses at the same time can be overwhelming, but teaching one some ground manners may increase your success rate.

 

[chicken19]

I would absolutely not let them go to just anyone. I would definitely sell them local and make sure they were actually good people. I don't want it to seem like oh I've have these horses that are old and useless and i don't want them (i mean thats the reason kill pens exist which is super sad) they are a part of my family and i love them. It has just gotten to the point where it would be ideal to find someone to take them as pasture pets. Thank you for replying haha

I bet someone local would take them. Getting them in a trailer does sound like a problem though...
Never send them to a kill pen.
The trailer thing: Put your horse trailer in their pen/pasture then put some grain in there. Let them get into the trailer and eat the grain. Practice this until they do it without hesitation and then when the day comes to move them, do the same, but halter them first and let them walk themselves into the trailer but tie them once they are inside.
If they are used to the trailer they won't panic.
If you don't have your own trailer I bet someone would gladly lend you one to practice with.
Good Luck

 

[HnkyDnkyZZFarm]

I wish we were closer :-( sight unseen and challenges known only in type can turn out bad for all all involved. I hope you find someone or someplace close that can help you out, even if only temporarily to break the habit and to see if after a bit apart they get less clingy on each other. Fingers crossed for you and your boys.